Japan's Effects on Beef & National Ag Day

Japan's Effects on Beef & National Ag Day

Japan’s Effects on Beef & National Ag Day plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

In the aftermath of the tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan last week - a spokesman for the U.S. Meat Export Federation says he doesn't forsee a big impact on U.S. meat exports to that country. USMEF Communications Director Joe Schuele says - while the devastation along the northeastern coastline is tremendous - the more densely populated areas of southern Japan - including Tokyo and Osaka - were not as heavily impacted.

SCHUELE: In terms of impact on consumer demand I think it’s important to not make any broad assumptions based on the TV footage simply because the majority of Japan’s population demand should hold up quite well.

Yesterday was National Ag Day…a part of National Ag Week and Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack recognized the nation’s farmers and ranchers for the part they play in providing food, fiber and fuel to billions of people worldwide. He said, quote:  “Agriculture touches everyone’s life in one way or another, yet our farmers and ranchers can often be overlooked for the important work they do, and we should all take time during this day to thank producers for a job well done”

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

A potato, is a potato, is a potato, right? Apparently not.  Sure, there are several different varieties of potatoes on the market, with names like Andes Gold, All Red, Calwhite, and numerous Russets, but on the inside one would figure they were pretty much the same. One would be wrong. Potato growers and researchers know this inherently, but they too were surprised when a favored new variety of russet, expected to be the next Muhammad Ali of the french fry world, was knocked out even before the first round. Even QSR’s, that’s industry speak for fast food restaurants, have a strict set of potato test standards they adhere to. So when McDonald’s turned their noses up at the new Premier Russet because of the size of the potatoes starch granules, it was back to the research lab for the potato industry.  While the Premier Russet is not completely benched, it is certainly not the “hot potato” it was thought to be. Who knows, just because MickeyD’s snubbed the high yielding, disease resistant Premier Russet doesn’t necessarily mean it’s no longer a contender in the potato world. It’s hard to keep a good spud down for long.

Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.

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